Leaving the Andes
The Andes mountain range has been a constant presence on this tour. It’s been the aggravating reason I’m struggling up 15% grade roads, but it’s also provided the temperatures that kept me cycling in comfort at equatorial latitudes. Oh, and the views aren’t bad either. So, with the goal of finishing at the Caribbean, I climbed the Andes one last time out of Medellín, and then coasted downhill, leaving my mountain companions behind.
Antioquia is the Colombian department with Medellín at its center. But the city-dwellers show a lot of pride for the small town life that dots the surrounding mountains. I was happy to visit a few more on my route.
In addition to their beautiful settings and architecture, I’m impressed by how urban they are. Most buildings are attached to their neighbors, and have no setback from the sidewalk. It’s not unusual to see five story buildings, and an occasional 10-15 story one. The streets are filled with pedestrians. There are plenty of taxis and often a bus system. They are linked to the big city by a bus that leaves frequently (and can be used for intermediate destinations, too). As a result, the small town is like a city neighborhood, transplanted to the hills, and at its edge, it abruptly becomes farms. This style of town planning is self-reinforcing, as the density and walkability of the town is why the bus service is successful. And the presence of the bus is what makes the residents feel connected to shopping, services, goods delivery, and social life.
My counterpoint to these towns are United States ones. Tall buildings and inter-city bus service are rare or nonexistent. Walking distances feel long or uninteresting. There are few useful stores, maybe a big box, but it’s a drive away. Stand alone houses bleed into the farming areas around. But it wasn’t always this way. When I walk around Antioqueño towns, I wonder if I’m seeing what the U.S. was like before the highway era.
After the downhill, I had about five days of flat, hot, and humid riding. The beach town of Tolú was having a blast on a Saturday night.
Link to my route: https://maps.findmespot.com/s/L69B
